It was again, an interesting race. As I mentioned, I ran 6 miles earlier that day. Then I went in to work and I sat and drove for 2 hours once I was done there. Got to the race right at 2:30p and was the last one to get a size medium shirt. *whew*
I didn't see Kevin & Jess when the race began. And actually, the race began in a very awkward way. I was looking around me to see if I could see them anywhere and then I see people start running, I turn around and they were taking off. WTF?! No gun, I couldn't hear anything and I didn't have any music playing in my earbuds. Very bad start of the race.
There was a hill at the beginning of the race. As I said, I knew it was going to be hilly, so I expected it. Like 40 paces into it, up the hill. There wasn't much of a downhill but I just let gravity take me instead of putting on the brakes.
I eyed two girls that looked like they were in shape and ran so I determined to keep pace with them. Well, before the first mile, I ended up passing them. Craps.
At the half way point, 1.5 miles, there was another hill. At the bottom of it, it was written "Small hill." It didn't look like no small hill. I manage to go up it and then go back downhill, again letting gravity do the work for me, passing someone as I went down.
I see the water station and there was one woman pouring the cups and a girl handing them out, ONE AT A TIME. There was a group of 4 or 5 ahead of me and so there was congestion. I was pissed. I almost stopped. They needed more volunteers to hand out water.
Then around the 2.34 mile mark was the "Big Hill," as it was written at the bottom, was head. Yea, ya think? This one just kept on going. I turned a bit and I thought it was done but then it turned the other way and kept going up. My feet were hardly leaving the ground, I was shuffling. My pace was like 10:40 by that time.
I got to the top, it was the entrance where the cars came in, so I drove it and knew that it was pretty much all downhill and that the end was coming up. I put on my PowerSong. There was a guy wearing an Iditarod shirt in front of me. I kept urging him in my head to keep going. His partner dropped out a while ago to walk. I was chasing him. I kept going, my feet pounding down the hill. Then I see the end, the time was just over 26 minutes. I look to the left and I see Kevin and Jess with their cameras cheering for me. I smile and I push it. I was really hoping to break 27 minutes. I push it more, Ititarod pushed too. I finally grunted really hard and beat him to the line by like 2 steps. The chute was really narrow! Whoops.
There was a lady taking the information from our tags in the middle of the chute instead of near the end. She yelled at me to stay in place but I was churning my legs so hard that I couldn't stop in time before I ran into her and she had to put her arm out and catch me. Then the guy who she was taking the tag from pushed me back physically. It's like Dude, chill, I'm not taking your place.
I didn't see Iditarod after that. I'm glad. I didn't want him to yell at me for doing that to him at the very end. I am a kicker. That's for sure. But I did it. I beat 27 minutes!
Apparently, last year, I did it at the Autumn on Parade 5k race but I don't remember going that fast and I didn't have my Nike+ so I don't know if the race is really 3.1 miles. That's also the case of a race earlier this year, where I ran in 25 minutes but I know that it's shorter because another runner I know says that he runs that race 2 minutes faster than he normally runs as well.
I forgot to stop my Nike+ so the time kept calculating and it's now reading it as 30:54. Which sucks. So I'm seeing if I can remember how I edit the XML file.
Then there was free beer and food after the race. I had 2 cups and unfortunately, a plate full of junk food. Jess & Kevin partook in the good BBQ.
And then today, Kevin, Jess & I did a 12 mile bike ride. I woke up and my right calf was really tight and sore. I was limping. Then I did the bike ride which wasn't too bad on it. But now after driving for 2 hours, it hurts even now. I'm trying to decided if I should run tomorrow or have a day off. If I run tomorrow, it's only going to be 2 or 3 and during lunch again.
Yesterday's race: 63*, 3 hills on course
I didn't see Kevin & Jess when the race began. And actually, the race began in a very awkward way. I was looking around me to see if I could see them anywhere and then I see people start running, I turn around and they were taking off. WTF?! No gun, I couldn't hear anything and I didn't have any music playing in my earbuds. Very bad start of the race.
There was a hill at the beginning of the race. As I said, I knew it was going to be hilly, so I expected it. Like 40 paces into it, up the hill. There wasn't much of a downhill but I just let gravity take me instead of putting on the brakes.
I eyed two girls that looked like they were in shape and ran so I determined to keep pace with them. Well, before the first mile, I ended up passing them. Craps.
At the half way point, 1.5 miles, there was another hill. At the bottom of it, it was written "Small hill." It didn't look like no small hill. I manage to go up it and then go back downhill, again letting gravity do the work for me, passing someone as I went down.
I see the water station and there was one woman pouring the cups and a girl handing them out, ONE AT A TIME. There was a group of 4 or 5 ahead of me and so there was congestion. I was pissed. I almost stopped. They needed more volunteers to hand out water.
Then around the 2.34 mile mark was the "Big Hill," as it was written at the bottom, was head. Yea, ya think? This one just kept on going. I turned a bit and I thought it was done but then it turned the other way and kept going up. My feet were hardly leaving the ground, I was shuffling. My pace was like 10:40 by that time.
I got to the top, it was the entrance where the cars came in, so I drove it and knew that it was pretty much all downhill and that the end was coming up. I put on my PowerSong. There was a guy wearing an Iditarod shirt in front of me. I kept urging him in my head to keep going. His partner dropped out a while ago to walk. I was chasing him. I kept going, my feet pounding down the hill. Then I see the end, the time was just over 26 minutes. I look to the left and I see Kevin and Jess with their cameras cheering for me. I smile and I push it. I was really hoping to break 27 minutes. I push it more, Ititarod pushed too. I finally grunted really hard and beat him to the line by like 2 steps. The chute was really narrow! Whoops.
There was a lady taking the information from our tags in the middle of the chute instead of near the end. She yelled at me to stay in place but I was churning my legs so hard that I couldn't stop in time before I ran into her and she had to put her arm out and catch me. Then the guy who she was taking the tag from pushed me back physically. It's like Dude, chill, I'm not taking your place.
I didn't see Iditarod after that. I'm glad. I didn't want him to yell at me for doing that to him at the very end. I am a kicker. That's for sure. But I did it. I beat 27 minutes!
Apparently, last year, I did it at the Autumn on Parade 5k race but I don't remember going that fast and I didn't have my Nike+ so I don't know if the race is really 3.1 miles. That's also the case of a race earlier this year, where I ran in 25 minutes but I know that it's shorter because another runner I know says that he runs that race 2 minutes faster than he normally runs as well.
I forgot to stop my Nike+ so the time kept calculating and it's now reading it as 30:54. Which sucks. So I'm seeing if I can remember how I edit the XML file.
Then there was free beer and food after the race. I had 2 cups and unfortunately, a plate full of junk food. Jess & Kevin partook in the good BBQ.
And then today, Kevin, Jess & I did a 12 mile bike ride. I woke up and my right calf was really tight and sore. I was limping. Then I did the bike ride which wasn't too bad on it. But now after driving for 2 hours, it hurts even now. I'm trying to decided if I should run tomorrow or have a day off. If I run tomorrow, it's only going to be 2 or 3 and during lunch again.Yesterday's race: 63*, 3 hills on course
